Artichoke Plants

How to Grow Artichoke Plants

Have you ever thought about purchasing artichoke plants? Have you wondered if you could grow them in your garden? This article is going to look at your possibilities related to growing artichokes at your home. Actually, if you have at least 100 days at a time that are frost free you will be able to grow artichoke plants. Take your time reading this article so that you will be prepared once you purchase your plants.

If your winter temperatures average approximately 15 degrees then you can plant the seeds for artichoke plants in the fall. You will want to plant them approximately ¼ of an inch deep in soil that has some moisture. You are going to need to be sure that the soil will drain well if the seeds have been soaked. If you do not ensure this, the seeds may rot before they actually have a chance to begin growing. You do not want this to happen because it will take away from all of your hard work.

The spacing of artichoke plants is also very important. You are going to want them to be planted in rows and two to three feet apart. You will also want each of the rows to be three or four feet apart. This is going to give the plant plenty of space to spread out and for the roots to take hold.

While your plants are growing they are going to need to have constant irrigation. They will have loose buds and the quality of the plant will not be very good if they are not getting enough moisture. On the opposite hand is the fact that they can die if they have too much water. Therefore, you will want to ensure that they are planted on a hill where the water can drain down. Your plants are also going to grow much better if they are fertilized correctly. You are going to want to put high nitrogen fertilizer on the plants one time a month. This is very important to help the plants remain healthy and grow to their fullest potential.

There are a few different diseases that can harm your artichoke plants so you are going to want to keep an eye out for them. The first thing is grey mold. You are going to notice that the plant is turning a brown color. Inside the plant, you will begin to notice a grey color substance. If you begin to notice this you will want to remove the pieces that have been infected to keep it from spreading. Curly dwarf can also cause your artichoke plants to stop growing. You will want to learn more about this if you notice that your plants are not longer growing. Finally, you may start to notice slugs and snails on your artichoke plants. They are actually eating them and they will cause damage. It is important to get rid of them so that they do not eat all of your plants and kill them.

If you are noticing any of these diseases or problems with your artichoke plants you are going to want to talk to someone at a local nursery. He or she is going to be able to tell you exactly what is going on with your plants and what you can do to help them. Ultimately, you want to save your plants. You do not want to sit back and watch mold and slugs kill them. You may find out how to save your plants and how to avoid the problem from occurring again. This is going to keep your garden healthy for all plants.